Madam Clerk, please call the role.

Griffin here, Bishop, Conwell, Gray, Hairston, Harsh, House Jones, Jones, Casey, Kelly, Moore, McCormack, Polensick, Santana, Slife, Spencer, Star.

You have a quorum, Mr.

President.

Thank you.

Will everyone rise for a moment of silence, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.

Thank you.

I pledge allegiance to the flag.

And to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you.

I'll make the following statement.

This meeting of Cleveland City Council is a lawful meeting under section six oh five.

Members of the public are invited to and speak only under the rules set by this council.

Disruptions, including but not limited to speaking out of turn and making loud noises and loud utterances are in violation of the rules and interfere with the due conduct of this lawful meeting.

Such disruptions may constitute a misdemeanor and a violation of section six oh five.

Anyone who disrupts this lawful meeting in violation of the codified ordinances commits misdemeanors and is subject to prosecution.

The following is the first and only warning.

Oath of office for Dave Telbin, Captain of Fire.

Excuse me, 2025.

Oath of office for Myron Jackson, Lieutenant of Fire.

Without objection, plat approved.

From the Ohio Division of Liquor Control, file number 1187 2025 regarding a transfer of ownership application at 5915 St.

Clair Avenue War 10.

Thank you.

We'll now move to public comment.

And I'd ask all of the council members to turn around to acknowledge the speakers and ask all the speakers to acknowledge your time.

First and foremost, we have Reverend Pamela Pinckney from Cleveland, legislation and the impact on mothers.

She's uh representing Pamela's People's Action Committee and Mothers' Lives Matter.

Miss Pinkney, you have to be able to do it.

Good evening, everyone.

I'm Pamela, uh, 2028 presidential candidate for the United States of America.

And as I spoke on last week, I was introducing a new trajectory.

A trajectory basically determines the way that we're moving forward and upward.

And this week, I would like to talk to about mothers.

In such a time as this, the place, position, purpose, and presentation of the mother, it must come forth.

It has been very underidentified, unrecognized, and mobilized, and very unspecified.

The mother, the mom, the life and the role of us.

Religions have defined and described what they believe it to be.

Politicians have created laws defining and describing what it must be.

Artists and entertainers have portrayed who and what we appear to be.

Scientists have made their hypothesis and chemical equations and their limited knowledge of the physical, physiological, psychological, psychiatric, emotional, and neurological makeup of what their conclusion is regarding us, still not yet adequately defined, described, determined, delivered by any of them, even today in society.

In many cases, some do not fully recognize the fact that mothers' lives, mom's lives, really do matter.

There are no real programs that properly fulfill our needs and concerns.

When success is recognized, we are bypassed for the fathers and our children.

We are not recognized as also being the core of the success.

However, when disaster impacts the family, we are recognized as the core of the blame.

We are denied resources, rescue, adequate support, equal rights, and opportunities, especially we who are non-white.

Those who signed the United States Constitution were white males with white female counterparts.

We are denied the right to protect and provide for our people of our concern, including ourselves.

My rights to keep them as well as myself safe to provide for us through the halls and walls of justice and the realms of religion.

I chose to keep my children, even after they were conceived through abuse, they had even reported to the authorities.

I report abuse before, during, and after having children.

We are part of the creation process in every way.

Racism is only one component.

Religion, politics, and entertainment are also components of this.

Help me stop this vicious cycle.

Join me.

Mothers' lives do matter.

Thank you, Reverend Pinkney.

Thank you.

Next, we have Milana Mills from Cleveland.

And she's representing Mothers' Lives Matters.

Milana Mills.

Hi, I'm Melana Mills.

Numbers 216-3238786.

I'm gonna present the first book because I'm talking for my mother today, as well as me as being an only child in the Glenville area all my life.

But I come from the Afro set, and Fred Alman Evans was my uncle.

All I remember is being a young, rich child, and Fred taught me military style.

I didn't understand what it was, but we moved into East Cleveland in on Stanwood and Glenn, Glenview.

It was a mansion, and I was raised to know that my sliding board, which I know now was a shoot, laundry shoot.

The house got shot up so bad.

I'm the only one who came out the house alive.

Um, all I was remember is going up down my sliding board down the attic through the shoot, and when somebody came and got me, of course, they covered my face, but I said dead bodies everywhere.

It was my aides mates and servants.

And then my mom wasn't home by the grace of God when it happened.

All I remember is I was four.

We were taken away.

We went to Glenville area, and she was poor walking the streets with her child.

So I wrote a book, and it's called The Little Girl Who Led the March for the Black Nationalist.

I went through so much.

I went through a whole lot of pain just watching my mother suffered.

I thought my mom was crazy.

The generational curse got in my children think that I'm crazy, but they don't know what story that we had.

Um my book, I wasn't a good girl.

I wasn't a good girl.

I didn't know.

All I knew is I was a rich child, why am I walking around here poor?

And so I remember um selling marijuana in junior high, maybe.

I started at 16, 25 years old, I was rich again.

And then I didn't have nothing because I used cocaine.

Um I walked, I remember being 11 in the Glenville Library.

I had showed me how to do cameras.

And when um I got my picture.

Oh, and uh, when I got the camera and I was doing this class, I did not know that this camera would be my life.

I've been taking pictures 50 years.

So my book is on Amazon, and it's for $18.

And it's called The Little Girl Who Led the March for the Black Nationalists.

And it's a rough story.

I've had um, I never had a job in my life.

I rolled with pictures all my life.

Um so when I did, ma'am.

Your time's up.

Oh, it's my time is up.

Yes, ma'am, your time is up.

Okay, can I just say how to get the book again?

Man, the fairness of all the speakers, I gotta keep everybody to the three minutes.

Thank you, ma'am.

Appreciate you.

All right, next we have Brenda Bickerstaff.

Brenda Bickerstaff is from Ward 9.

She's here to talk about the censure of Joe Jones and Blaine Griffin.

And she's here uh with the citizens for Safer Cleveland, Miss Bickerstaff.

You have the floor.

Good evening, everyone.

Good evening.

Um I want all counts of vital attention, whether you like me or not, Mr.

Casey.

I see over here a if he's still a judge of the appeals court, uh, Mr.

McCormick.

Now, Mr.

McCormick, I want to give them an example here.

How people, especially black men get wrongfully convicted.

I just spoke about this on the 15th of this month.

I'm gonna do it again.

I'm requesting under Ohio Revised Code 149.43, Mr.

Griffin, President Griffin, a copy of the investigator file that was done against Joe Jones.

I want a copy.

I'm entitled to a copy.

You can no longer say is client privilege with the attorney because guess what?

Joe Jones is a councilman of this of this city.

Now you see this, even in the paper, Mr.

Palency, they talk about this.

They talk about what was done to Joe Jones.

So why all of y'all sitting there looking?

It can happen to your brother, your father, your sister, your brother.

Now I got to give my props to Richard Starr.

He showed leadership by even doing research so he can figure out what he voted for.

Now, Councilman Conwell, you know I spoke with you about this.

And then I find out that all of you didn't even have all the information.

You didn't even have all the information.

You had a summary of a brief summary of what occurred and a conclusion.

You want to protect the victims?

Alleged victims, I get it.

I don't have a problem with that.

You can redact their names and let them see the statements.

Be where you have no problems at work, and it should be healthy environment.

Absolutely.

Absolutely.

But what you guys did wasn't fair.

You didn't even have all the information.

And I'm not gonna mention all the time the councilman that I talked to over the weekend who indicated they didn't have the information.

Mr.

Griffin, I am requesting under the Ohio Revised Code 149.43.

I want a copy of the entire investigator file of Joe Jones' investigation from January and the one that just occurred.

I want that information.

I got a right to have that information.

This is how a lot of black men get wrongfully convicted.

This is how it happens.

Are you sitting there, you looking?

It can happen to you.

Kevin Bishop.

It can happen to you.

Any of you sitting here, Mr.

McCormick, even though you leave it, it can happen to you.

It can happen to you, Mr.

Hartchwell, you're smiling.

It can happen to you.

They won't be good big white boys, too.

Time.

Thank you.

All right, we buy poll 1.9.40.

Thank you.

Next, we have Daryl Houston, Mr.

Houston is from Bedford Heights.

He's here to talk about city issues.

He's not representing one, Mr.

Houston.

Yeah, the floor.

Uh good evening, everyone.

Um I would like to thank my community first of all for all the outreach they've been sending me.

I would like to thank my local judges, my attorneys, and my community for all the emails and text messages I've been receiving about me coming down here speaking, truth to light.

So today I'm a little frustrated by the process that took place with Mr.

Jones.

I don't condone no man disrespecting a woman.

I don't condone no man disrespecting his peers.

So I'm not here to represent that.

What I'm here to represent is due process.

And to hear that you guys made a vote and didn't have a complete report, that shows bad leadership by every last single councilman that voted yes.

And I'm asking this community to pay attention to every last one of you candidates and begin to understand that you guys don't represent the community.

Y'all don't.

If you represented the community, you would have did your due diligence before you casted a vote, like this young man did.

The youngest man down here in city council had to stand up here and show his knowledge and his wisdom of actually what took place.

There's another city councilman sitting down here that has a law degree, and she should be very careful with going against the Constitution and agreeing to something unlawful.

Okay.

I am tired of what I'm experiencing down here from this panel, from you, Mr.

Griffin.

I am extremely tired.

The community is tired, the police is tired, firefighters are tired, EMS is tired, now my one is tired, and the community is tired.

And before this, before I say anything else, I wanted to go on record to say what happened to that bar downtown is unacceptable.

I'm a legitimate business owner, I'm a legitimate taxpayer, and I've been down there trying to do business down there, and I'm urging all of y'all to pay attention because they do not lease to black people downtown whatsoever.

And I'm tired of it.

I'm tired of it.

You don't lease to black people, and I'm telling everybody, since that bar closed, we're gonna go to Bar Louie.

We're gonna sit in Bar Louis, where y'all like to go.

We're gonna drink in there, we're gonna party outside right there.

Because y'all don't give us no outlets nowhere at all in the city, period.

And to see helicopters up on Harvard, but we didn't see it downtown Sunday for the first game.

That's called improper planning for an event by the chief of police.

See, I ain't here to play with y'all no more.

I know the laws, I know y'all games, and I'm gonna punish you.

I'm pulling all public records on all of y'all now, right?

And I'm hoping that I find what I'm looking for.

And to Pat Britt, your name is coming up on a lot of different paperwork.

I suggest that you make sure that it's complete before you put your name on it because that falls up under complicity.

Have a good day.

I'll be back Monday.

Next, we have Stephanie Thomas from Word 11 to talk about the CVS gas station issue, and uh, she represents Shelter People Cleveland.

Hi, actually, I think I represent myself uh in this instance.

Um the people have spoken, but since many of you were not at the BCA hearing, I will rehash.

Um the Board of Zoning Appeals unanimously denied the variants for the gas station.

The owner could not even avail himself for the hearing.

They were not there, but your constituents were.

My name is Stephanie Thomas, and I'm a gratefully recovered addict and alcoholic.

How did I become a heroin addict?

I was exposed to cigarettes and alcohol at a very early age in middle school, and the disease of addiction grew from there.

Where did I acquire those cigarettes and alcohol?

After middle school at either the CVS or the gas station in Chagrin Paul's.

I'm a resident of Ward 11 and I operate two residences on West Boulevard.

We have housed 63 people on West Boulevard in the last two years.

We currently have 15 tenants.

We don't want another gas station.

One of the homes I manage on West Boulevard is a sober house or recovery residence.

When we have a new person move in, and their life depends on staying sober, we literally have to tell them to avoid the BP at the corner of Lorraine and West Boulevard.

I can't even get gas there without somebody trying to sell me drugs or uh asking for change so that they can buy more.

Do you want the same type of behavior on the corner of West Boulevard and Madison on the same block as where children go to school and swim and play at the Cadal Rec Center?

We would accept the fire station.

Please table the gas station legislation.

Thank you for allowing me to speak.

Thank you.

Next we have Fauzi Badour.

Fahuzibado is from Ward 11, and he's here to talk about 10022 Madison Avenue and the old CVS.

He's with a coalition for Better Cleveland, Mr.

Fedora.

Good evening, Council, Council President.

I like to speak to Mayor Bibb, who's not here, but I'll I'll speak anyhow.

I'm glad Danny came.

The endorsement of Mayor Bibb to Danny Kelly, I hope it means that Danny has agreed with Mayor Bibb to table the uh SBOT uh zoning uh legislation at 1002 to Madison Avenue, the corner of West Boulevard and Madison to allow burning gas station in there.

That the Board of Zoning A Bill denied that.

And the planning commission denied that.

And more recently, September primary, the Bible of Cadell and Edjuara rejected that.

Danny Kelly, Councilman Kelly, received 669 votes.

Most of them, the best majority of those votes came from Jefferson and the South Southern part of that wood.

Well, the voters of Kudell and Edjuar, most in most of those votes went to his two opponents.

His two opponents were one actually.

They both together, they agree, and one of them, whoever failed will be in the campaign of the others.

So both ran and opposing the gas station.

Now, between both of them, they received 690 votes.

Well, then you received 669 votes.

And we believe the people who voted for Dan May Shah and Andrew DeFradi, they have the right more over the right of the people who voted for Councilman Kelly because they live in the neighborhoods.

They live between Codell neighborhood and Edge War.

Now uh Mayor Bibb can endorse whoever he wants.

If Councilman Kelly agreed to table that uh legislation, we appreciate both Councilman Kelly and the Mayor Bibb.

But if there is no agreement like this, we we will not stand for it.

I can say this with all respect to Danny Kelly.

Next year, the councilman who will represent Ward 12 will be Tan Meisha.

Thank you.

Next we have David Hill.

He's uh from Cleveland.

He's here to talk about the city decision to board up play in the flats, and he's representing play.

Mr.

Hill, you have the floor.

Good evening, Council President, Council members, and um Bear Bibb in his absence.

Um thank you for allowing me this time.

And firstly, I want to say my heartfelt sympathy goes out to all of the victims of the tragic shooting that happened in the flats.

These senseless gunshots, it caused people to run for cover.

And all the play provided a safe haven for many of the citizens of the city of Cleveland.

We were described as a public nuisance and immediately boarded up.

This not only affected my livelihood, but the financial stability of other 40 other employees and their families in the midst of an already fallen economy.

The point of view of us being a public nuisance was not just a sad day in Cleveland.

This was actually the average day in Cleveland.

Being forced to explain, defend, and carry the blame of people that we do not know, people that share none of our core values, as well as being held responsible for the bad choices of another human being.

Every single day, we try to shield ourselves from stereotypes that stick to us like gum on the bottom of a shoe.

While watching the eyes of constant suspicion that seize us and reduce our value before they even know your name.

We feel the weight of our ancestors as they physically try to escape the chains that link them together, ensure no one reaches freedom.

Now we are running mentally, trying to break the chains that link us together as a race of unhuman criminals.

This race has been run long enough.

We are ready to stop making everything about race, and we will stop making it about race with the start when society stop making us run.

We will continue the race in unity.

As the scripture says, where there is unity, there's strength.

With like-minded people who love God, love family, and love community, where the entire city of Cleveland feels like an extension of our own homes.

This race we run, it honors us being the strongest, most prominent, distinct color in the crayon box.

We will block out the heaviness of yesterday and show the world what endurance looks like, outlining the greatness around us and often receiving no recognition.

It allows us to take on stains and still look pristine.

It allows the warmth of the sun of a new day to remove the code from yesterday.

It allows us to live with those who could never run our race quite simply because they're not built for it.

We are not all guilty by association.

We are not a public nuisance.

We are not all threats.

We are human beings deserving of the same dignity, protection, and respect as anyone else.

We are all due that process.

Mr.

Hill.

The city of Cleveland has stained my good name.

Thank you.

Next, we have Amber Gibbs.

Amber Gibbs is from Old Brooklyn, and Amber is uh here to talk about the County Board services for people with development disabilities and their families and recent collaborations in the city.

She's representing the Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities.

Amber, you have the floor.

Good evening.

As you said, my name is Amber Gibbs, and I'm the CEO of the Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities.

I'm also a resident of Old Brooklyn, and last year I attended one of your meetings to introduce or reintroduce you to Cuyahoga DD and the overview of the work that we do.

This year I'd like to start by recognizing an important milestone for our organization.

It is the 20th anniversary of our last property tax levy.

Two-thirds of our 180 million dollar budget come from a 3.9 mil continuous levy last passed by voters in 2005.

At the time that we put that on the ballot, we told voters we would not be back for at least 10 years.

It's been 20.

I'm proud of the fiscal responsibility and the thoughtful planning we have shown to stretch that money much longer than anticipated.

Last year, we served 5,000 people here in the city of Cleveland and almost 15,000 people across the county.

That is a 20% increase since our last levy passed in 2005.

Over the last 20 years, this levy has that was approved by voters, has supported people with developmental disabilities through early intervention services, helping infants and toddlers meet their milestones.

We provide therapies like occupational speech and uh physical therapy.

We provide consultative services to support students in public schools and private schools throughout the county.

We transition services for adults, young adults graduating high school.

We provide housing and employment services and assistive technology to help people be as independent as they can.

Levy funding also allows us to make strategic investments in the community.

And since 2021, we've granted nearly a million dollars to over 50 community organizations and cities to make their programs and physical spaces more accessible.

In the city of Cleveland alone, we have supported Rec to Connect, the Museum of Contemporary Art, Future Inc.

Graphics, the Cleveland Kids Book Bank, the Cleveland Metro Parks Zoo, and the Great Lakes Science Center to install sensory spaces and universal changing tables, the Broadway School of Music, the YMCA of Greater Cleveland, the West Side Market.

We have put in universal changing tables to give everyone a dignified restroom experience at the Frederick Douglass Recreation Center and Impett Park.

We are installing communications boards thanks to our friends at the Department of City and Recreation.

Uh, in five city playgrounds at Estabrook, Kovasek, Third Thurgood Marshall, Input Park, and Frederick Douglass Aquatics Center.

In addition to our work supporting people with disabilities in the county, we want to be a resource for all of you.

If you have constituents that need help and may be eligible for our services, please make sure they know about us.

We are here to help people thrive in their communities and live as independently as possible and contribute back to our incredible city of Cleveland.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next we have Kareem Hinton from Ward 14.

He's here to talk about the Sheriff's Department operating within city limits, and he's representing Black Lives Matter, Mr.

Hinton.

You had the floor.

Thank you.

I'm here tonight to give perspective and a call to action regarding the vehicle pursuits of deputies in the city of Cleveland.

And also to humanize the victims that these atrocities atrocities have uh laid claim to and that city officials have ignored.

On March 28th, 2025, a pursuit ended on Eddy Road in a fiery crash.

A mother, grandmother, and a registered nurse succumbed to her injuries on April 13th, 2025.

The fleeing driver, Mr.

Nigel Perry, also died.

On Sunday, August 24th, 2025, 37-year-old Miss Chardet Denise Elder, mother of two children, a 16-year-old boy and an 11-year-old girl was killed when her vehicle was struck at East 13th Street and St.

Clair Avenue after a brief pursuit of a suspected, suspected impaired and reckless driver, Mr.

Jamon Whitaker II, who was later arrested and charged.

According to a publicly, according to publicly available reporting, the same deputy initiated both of those pursuits.

As far as the public is concerned and has been told the deputy was not removed from active duty after the first fatal crash for a full mental, psychological and psychological evaluation, nor was he required to complete additional pursuit-related training before returning back to patrol.

If this is accurate, then the what we're asking is that you place upon this your immediate scrutiny.

The only uproar thus far has been over the censure of a city councilman Joe Jones, and yet his actions didn't cause the death of anyone.

Do your job.

Thank you.

Next we have George Mills from Ward 9 here to talk about public safety and housing.

He's not representing your one.

Is Mr.

Mills here?

Mr.

Mills going once.

Mr.

Mills going twice.

Mr.

Mills is not available.

Therefore, Madam Clerk, please move to appointments.

No point.

There are no appointments.

Do we have any condolence resolutions?

Resolutions of condolence by Councilmember Griffin for Hazel A.

Coleman.

By Councilmember Griffin for Samuel Thomas Jackson Jr.

By Councilmember Conwell for Joseph DeJarnett Jr.

By Councilmember Conwell for Ernest Farmer.

By Councilmember Santana for Lizette Kinnones.

Are there any other condolence resolutions?

Any other condolence resolutions?

Seeing no other condolence resolutions, will all council members rise for a moment of silence.

Thank you.

Are there any congratulatory resolutions?

Resolutions of congratulations by Councilmember Griffin for Daughter Felicia Latrice Morton.

Resolutions of recognition by Councilmember House Jones for Village Family Farms Thurgood Marshall Green Grand Opening by Councilmember House Jones for Western Reserve Conservancy Thurgood Marshall Green Grand Opening by Councilmember Griffin for Lewis Stokes Visionary Award by Councilmember Starr for East Technical High School Class of 1975 on their 50th anniversary.

Thank you.

We do not have any presentations.

Authorizing contracts with various agencies or entities and for professional services, determining the method of constructing, rehabilitating, renovating, replacing, or otherwise improving air monitoring sites and other similar structures on city-owned and city lease property, and authorizing the director to enter into one or more contracts for the improvement.

Ordinance 1168 2025 by Councilmembers Casey and Griffin by Departmental Request authorizing the Director of Public Utilities to enter into one or more requirement contracts without competitive bidding with Hatch Company to provide services for calibration, preventive maintenance, appropriate repairs, and to certify accuracy of laboratory and inline process equipment used to test drinking water that is manufactured by the Hatch Company for the Division of Water Department of Public Utilities for a term of two years.

Ordinance 1174 2025 by Councilmembers Palencyc and Griffin by departmental request to change the name of a portion of East 159th Street to Euclid Beach Boulevard.

Thank you.

First reading emergency ordinances to be passed.

Ordinance 1170 2025 by Councilmembers House Jones Hairstone and Griffin by Departmental Request authorizing the Director of Community Development to enter into a loan agreement with Gateway 66 Limited Partnership or its designee to partially finance the development of affordable residential housing units in Ward 7 and for other associated costs necessary to redevelop the properties.

Ordinance 1173 2025 by Councilmember Casey to amend Section 3 of Ordinance 1331 2024 relating to the agreement with the Bel Air Puritist Development Corporation DBA Jefferson Puritas West Park Development Corporation Thank you.

Read the motion to suspend the rules.

By Councilmember McCormack that the rules be suspended and the legislation just read be placed on final passage.

Seconded by Councilmember Gray.

Cartero.

16 Yes.

Thank you.

Carterola on passage.

Griffin, Bishop Conwell Gray, Hairston Harsh, House Jones, Jones, Casey, Kelly, Moore, McCormack, Polencick, Santana, Slife, Spencer Star.

16 YAs.

Thank you.

First reading, emergency resolutions to be adopted.

Resolution 1171 2025 by Councilmember Palencick with without, I'm sorry, withdrawing objection to the transfer of ownership of a C1, C2 and D6 liquor permit at 15521 St.

Clair Avenue and repealing resolution 437 2025 objecting to said permit.

Resolution 1172 2025 by Councilmember Hairston objecting to a new C2 liquor permit at 12107 St.

Clair Avenue.

Resolution 1176 2025 by Councilmember Griffin designing designating the month of October 2025 as sudden unexpected death and epilepsy awareness month.

Resolution 1177 2025 by Councilmember Spencer objecting to a new C1 liquor permit at 7123 Lorraine Avenue.

Thank you.

Read the motion to suspend the rules.

By Councilmember McCormack that the rules be suspended in the legislation just read be placed on final passage.

Seconded by Councilmember Gray.

Cartero.

Griffin, Bishop Conwell Gray, Harrison Harsh, House Jones Jones, Casey Kelly, Moore, McCormack, Polencick, Santana, Slife, Spencer Starr.

16 Yes.

Calderon adoption.

Griffin, Bishop Conwell, Gray, Harrison Harsh, House Jones, Jones, Casey, Kelly, Moore, McCormack, Polencick, Santana, Slife, Spencer Starr.

16 YAs.

Thank you.

Second reading, emergency ordinances to be passed.

Ordinance 491 2025 by Council Members Casey and Griffin by Departmental Request.

Authorizing Director of Public Utilities to enter into one or more requirement contracts for landscape materials, equipment supplies, and services needed for testing, maintaining, installing, repairing, and replacing landscaping at city-owned and city-owned or leased Department of Public Utilities facilities and city rights of way for the Division of Water, Water Pollution Control, Cleveland Public Power, and the Office of Radio Communications, Department of Public Utilities for a period of two years.

Ordinance 533 2025 by Council Members Casey and Griffin by Departmental Request, authorizing the purchase by one or more requirement contracts of petroleum-based fuels for various types of backup generators, including regular and emergency deliveries, purchases, purchases, rentals, maintenance, and miscellaneous supporting services for the various divisions of the Department of Public Utilities for a period of two years.

Ordinance 675 2025 as amended by Councilmember Griffin by Departmental Request, authorizing the issuance and sale of bonds in the maximum principal amount of $8,500,000 for the purpose of providing funds to acquire heavy-duty trucks and equipment for performing functions of the city's Department of Public Works and Department of Public Safety, including the Division of Fire and authorizing related matters.

Ordinance 676-2025 as amended by Councilmember Griffin by Departmental Request, authorizing the issuance and sale of bonds in the maximum principal amount of 12 million dollars for the purpose of providing funds to improve municipal parks and recreation facilities and authorizing related matters.

Authorizing the issuance and sale of bonds in the maximum principal amount of $25,500,000 for the purpose of providing funds to improve buildings and structures and providing for the discharge of governmental functions and services otherwise benefiting the public safety, health, and welfare for the provision of necessary fixtures, furnishings, equipment, technology, appurtenances, utilities, and site improvements for the purpose and authorizing related matters.

Ordinance 678 2025 as amended by Councilmember Griffin by Departmental Request, authorizing the issuance and sale of bonds in the maximum principal amount of $28 million for the purpose of providing funds to improve the municipal street system and related facilities and authorizing related matters.

Ordinance 822 2025 by Council Members Casey and Griffin by Departmental Request, authorizing the Director of Public Utilities to enter into one or more contracts with OW investors for the professional services necessary to provide software and hardware maintenance for testing, maintaining, and upgrading upgrading of water meters for the residential and commercial use, including acquiring licenses, integrating and installing system upgrades, hardware upgrades, hardware and software maintenance and related equipment, labor, and materials for the Division of Water, Department of Public Utilities for a period of three years.

Ordinance 823 2025 by Council Members Casey and Griffin by Departmental Request, authorizing the purchase by one or more requirement contracts of disposal of debris at landfills, transfer stations, or recycle reclaim facility sites for the divisions of water, Cleveland Public Power, Water Pollution Control, Department of Public Utilities for a term of two years with one year with a one-year option to renew, exercisable by the Director of Public Utilities.

Ordinance 824 2025 by Council Members Casey and Griffin by Departmental Request.

Authorizing the purchase by one or more requirement contracts of various types of fencing, gate operators, gates, vertical pivot lift gates, barriers, walls, and guardrails, including associated appurtenances, and labor and materials necessary to repair or maintain existing equipment and appurtenances, including installation if necessary at various facilities for the various divisions of the Department of Public Utilities for a period up to two years.

Ordinance 825 2025 by Council Members Casey and Griffin by Departmental Request, authorizing the purchase by one or more requirement contracts of labor and materials necessary to maintain, test, inspect, repair, enhance, or replace and install HVAC systems and component parts, including heating boilers, ventilation and air conditioning systems, environmental control, software and components, including rentals if necessary for the divisions of water, water pollution control, Cleveland Public Power, and Office of Radio Communications for a period up to two years.

Ordinance 826 2025 by Council Members Casey and Griffin by Departmental Request, authorizing the purchase by one or more requirement contracts of labor and materials necessary to test, maintain and repair backup electrical gear, diesel drives for pumps, petroleum-based fuel equipment, and computer backup systems for the various divisions of the Department of Public Utilities for a term of two years.

Ordinance 951 2025 by Council Members McCormick and Griffin by Departmental Request, authorizing Director of Port Control to enter into one or more requirement contracts without competitive bidding with Cummins Inc.

for the purchase of proprietary replacement parts for heavy-duty construction equipment, labor and materials to repair and maintain the proprietary equipment for the Department of Port Control for a period of one year with three one-year options to renew exercisable by the Director of Port Control.

Ordinance 952 2025 by Council Members McCormack and Griffin by Departmental Request, authorizing Director of Port Control to enter into one or more requirement contracts without competitive bidding with Murphy tractor and equipment for the purchase of proprietary replacement parts for heavy-duty construction equipment, labor and materials to repair and maintain the proprietary equipment for the Department of Port Control for a period of one year with three one-year options to renew exercisable by the Director of Port Control.

Ordinance 953 2025 by Council Members McCormick and Griffin by Departmental Request, authorizing Director of Port Control to enter into one or more requirement contracts while competitive bidding with Ohio Machinery for the purchase of proprietary replacement parts for heavy-duty construction equipment and labor and materials to repair and maintain the proprietary equipment for the Department of Port Control for a period of one year with three one-year options to renew exercisable by the Director of Port Control.

Ordinance 954 2025 by Council members McCormick and Griffin by Departmental Request.

Determining the method of making the public improvement of repairing or replacing roofs and authorizing the director of port control to enter into one or more public improvement requirement contracts for the making of the improvement for one year period with three one-year options to renew, exercisable by the director of port control.

Ordinance 965 2025 by Council Members McCormack and Griffin by Departmental Request.

Authorizing the Director of Port Control to enter into a lease agreement with Big Play LLC for the lease of space located at 1501 North Marginal Road for the use of occupancy of space located in the terminal building of Burke Lakefront Airport for the operation of its podcast studio for a period of one year with four one-year options to renew, exercisable by the director of port control.

Ordinance 966 2025 by Council Members McCormack and Griffin by Departmental Request, authorizing the purchase and and/or rental by one or more requirement contracts of heavy-duty equipment, snow removal equipment, large capacity trucks, other equipment with operators, and any necessary labor materials and equipment needed for the snow and ice removal and or maintenance for the various divisions of the Department of Port Control for a period of one year with three one-year options to renew, exercisable by the Director of Port Control.

Ordinance 972 2025 by Council Members Conwell and Griffin by Departmental Request, authorizing Director of Public Health to enter into one or more agreements with the Ohio Department of Health to reimburse the City of Cleveland for monitoring, collecting, and analyzing radiation levels in the vicinity of Burke Lake Front Airport for a period of two years.

Ordinance 1079-2025 as amended by Council Members Griffin and Hairston to amend Section 1 of Ordinance 250-2025 exempting certain property parcels from tax abatement policies under ordinance 482-2022 relating to the community reinvestment area.

Ordinance 1080 2025 by Councilmember Griffin by Departmental Request.

Authorizing Director of Finance on behalf of Cleveland Municipal Court to apply for and accept a grant from Alcohol Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services Board of Cuyahoga County to expand access to evidence-based supervision and treatment services for defendants of Greater Cleveland Drug Court and the Human Trafficking Specialized Docket.

Ordinance 1081 2025 by Councilmember Griffin by Departmental Request.

Authorizing Director of Finance on behalf of Cleveland Municipal Court to apply for and accept a grant from the Alcohol, Drug Addition and Mental Health Services Board of Cuyahoga County to expand access to evidence-based supervision and treatment services for defendants of the four specialized dockets authorizing the director to enter into one or more contracts with various agencies, entities, or individuals to implement the grant.

Exercisable by the clerk of council.

Councilwoman Stephanie House Jones would like to be recognized.

Yes, Council President.

Um for the ordinances uh 673-2025, 675-2025, 676-2025, 677-2025, and 678-2025.

Um, the amounts that were written that were shared uh for the public need to be the amended amounts um when it was going over in the in um as the legislation was being read, it wasn't the amended amounts, it was the original amounts.

So we don't have the amended amounts in those pieces of legislation.

Is that what you're saying?

Well, it is in the title, but I don't know if it's changed based on what the clerk has.

So Madam Clerk, is that changed in the body?

Oh it was amended.

It was amended, amended.

Yeah, it was amended, but with the titles that you were saying with the amounts is not correct.

That's all I'm saying.

That's how it is.

So the the even though the title, if I'm you want to explain that clerk, because if I'm understanding, the amended is what matters.

It will be corrected in the city record.

In the city record, the amendments will carry.

I just wanted to know okay, because this is it.

Okay, thank you for uh bringing that up.

Uh Madam Clerk, read the motion to suspend the rules.

By Councilmember McCormick that the rules be suspended and the legislation just read be placed on final passage, seconded by councilmember Gray.

Griffin Bishop Conwell Gray, Hirston Harsh, House Jones, Jones, Casey Kelly, Moore McCormack, Polencick, Santana, Slife, Spencer Starr.

16 years.

Call to roll on passage.

Griffin Bishop Conwell Gray, Hirston Harsh, House Jones, Jones, Casey Kelly, Moore McCormack, Polencick, Santana, Slife, Spencer Starr.

16 Yes.

Thank you.

Second reading emergency resolutions to be adopted.

Resolution 1098, 2025 by Councilmember Griffin by Departmental Request.

Requesting the County Fiscal Officer to make advances during the year 2026, pursuant to section 321.34 of the Ohio Revised Code.

Resolution 1099 2025 by Councilmember Griffin by Departmental Request accepting the amounts and rates as determined by Cuyahoga County Budget Commission and authorizing the necessary tax levies and certifying them to the county fiscal officer.

Read the motion to suspend the rules.

By councilmember McCormack that the rules be suspended and the legislation just read be placed on final passage.

Seconded by Councilmember Gray.

Thank you, Carter.

Griffin Bishop Conwell Gray, Hirston Harsh, House Jones, Jones, Casey Kelly, Moore McCormack, Polency, Santana, Slife, Spencer Starr.

16 Yes.

Thank you.

Carter on adoption.

Griffin Bishop Conwell Gray Hirston Harsh, House Jones, Jones, Casey Kelly, Moore, McCormack, Polencick, Santana, Slife, Spencer Starr.

16 Yes.

Thank you.

We will move to introductions.

And I believe Councilman Kerry McCormick has a few introductions.

Well, we're gonna save his for last, but um introductions, any introductions.

Any introductions?

Councilman Michael Palency.

Mr.

Chairman, I'd like to introduce a couple constituents of mine.

Former County Commissioner, former county auditor, the honorable Tim McCormick is in the audience.

And also the family of our colleague, Carrie McCormick is here, his brother Brendan and his wonderful wife and the little ones are with them.

Would you please stand up and be recognized?

Come on, Dad, stand up.

Come on, come on.

Family stand up.

Family stand up.

Wonderful constituents, and I'm glad to see them down here to say goodbye to a wonderful colleague.

Thank you.

Outstanding.

Outstanding.

Welcome, Commissioner Judge.

Good to see you here today.

Great public servant.

Thank you.

Any other introductions?

Councilman Anthony Harrison.

Thank you.

Mr.

President, we do have our fantastic housing court judge with us tonight and her staff, Judge W.

Monet Scott.

Thank you.

Are there any other introductions?

Any other introductions?

Are there I'll make a couple of announcements if we could, and also introductions.

First of all, I want to acknowledge uh William Owens, a good Omega Sci-Fi man who is the court administrator for Cleveland Housing Court.

William Owens.

And then I also have the privilege and honor to acknowledge my little cousin.

You guys may not know this, but we grew up in the same housing project together.

Her name is Alfie Waters, the deputy court administrator and HR director.

Welcome there, the newest addition to Judge Monet Scott's uh housing court.

So we're looking forward to working with you as Cleveland City Council.

I'll move to announcements.

Uh oh, I'm sorry, Councilman Casey announcements or or introductions.

Announcement.

Uh you go um just real quick.

Um I don't know if uh councilman Jones would like to announce it for himself, his uh housing.

If anybody wants his uh housing court flyer, um you want to announce your housing court clinic, councilman Joe Jones, if you could have your microphone.

Sure.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

I rise.

I'm so thankful that um our Cleveland Housing Court Judge Monet Scott is going to be having a Cleveland Housing Court resource clinic in our neighborhood.

They're always really good for our citizens to come out, understand the law as it relates to housing, and we really appreciate the work that you do for us.

So that event will be September the 25th and 2025, of course, this year at uh Thursday at the Harvard Community Service Center starting from 5:30 to 730.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Thank you.

And uh I would also like to announce um the housing court judge will be having a cloud uh Cleveland Housing Court Resource Clinic on Thursday, October the 16th, 2025, from 530 to 7:30 in the now ward 9, but future ward six community.

So hopefully me and Councilman Conwill can uh advertise and advocate for this housing clinic uh because it sits right on the border of both of uh our communities.

Thank you, Judge Scott, for sponsoring us for that.

Thank you.

And welcome aboard to your new team members.

Thank you.

Uh announcements, Councilman Brian Casey, then Councilwoman Stephanie House Jones.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

Mr.

Chairman, in 2023, uh we honored the band Kiss.

In 2024, it was Eric Carmen and the Raspberries.

And in 2025, uh we're going to present the music keynote to the city to the group Bones Thugs and Harmony.

Uh it'll be this Sunday at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at 3 o'clock p.m.

But uh I know a lot of a lot about a lot.

Um everybody will be invited.

There'll be a press release tomorrow.

Will be a free ticketed event as the band will uh do a special performance uh to close out the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame summer uh concert series over there.

So again, this this uh Sunday, three o'clock, rock and roll hall of fame, and we'll be presenting the third annual music keynote to the city, the bone thugs in harmony.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilman.

And that is a segue because a lot of people don't know this, but she's actually related to them.

Councilwoman Stephanie House Jones.

Yes, uh good evening, everybody.

Uh, I just wanted to um invite everybody out, uh, the medium on the commission for black women and girls.

This is upcoming Wednesday at 5 p.m.

uh room 514, I believe, on the fifth floor.

You'll find us.

And then also to extend an invitation for uh individuals, um uh the my colleagues, uh everybody supported the transformational arts um fund.

And uh this upcoming Saturday is the mid-autumnum festival.

It will be held at um the Asian pop-up park there on 33rd and Payne Avenue.

Uh one of the uh art projects exhibits will actually be unveiled um at the mid-autumn festival.

So really wanted to extend the invitation out to community members to participate and join in.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilwoman House Jones.

Uh, we'll now move to miscellaneous, and uh before we get into miscellaneous, I do want to inform everyone that this is uh our colleague, Carrie McCormick's um pretty much last formal meeting because he won't be here next week.

Uh so today is his actual last formal meeting.

So um I want to start out by just saying, Councilman McCormick, uh, you've been great.

You've been a great public servant.

Um I was uh fortunate enough to know your dad very well, and I could say um I was also fortunate enough to know your mom.

And uh you come from great stock, you come from great community public servants, and you carried on that tradition with um a passion that was unmatched.

Um I can always say that you were the right-hand partner that I needed, the person that knew how to calm me down when I needed to be calmed down, but the person that also uh lit a fire up under me when I needed a fire lit up under me.

Um having you part of the leadership team uh was probably one of the best decisions that I've made on Cleveland City Council, and one of the best decisions we made as a body.

Um I could say that the Ohio City residents and the downtown residents uh truly, truly, even though we didn't know we're gonna have a dynamic young lady that's going to take your place.

I have to say that you served with honor, integrity, and commitment.

It was truly an honor to serve with you.

It was truly an honor to just watch you get things done.

Um, I know you're not gonna miss those long city planning meetings where you guys had to deal with some very tough decisions on Ohio City.

And a lot of people don't realize this, but this job is really tough.

It's a lot of time away from your family, a lot of time uh getting yelled at, a lot of time just uh having to deal with um issues where you're dealing with people that are dealing with complex and vexing issues and systems that oftentimes you know people don't recognize that a council person has to deal with.

But you did it with professionalism, you did it with style, you did it with grace.

Um I know that you said I can't get rid of you.

You'll still be in Cleveland, and we look forward to that.

I hope that I can still spend some time with you, Daniel, your family, and now I finally see that grand baby, uh the uh I call her my grandbaby, but your uh niece that we share pictures with uh that you're so proud of.

And all I can say is that your family ought to be proud of you.

This community ought to be proud of you, and thank you so much for your time and your service, sir.

Thank you so much.

The councilman is going to save his remarks for last.

Or do you want to go now?

He'll go now.

He said he's ready to go now.

Councilman McCormick.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman, and um my apologies to everyone.

I didn't really tell anyone that this was my last meeting outside of a few people, so my apologies about that.

We're going low-key, we're going low-key.

Uh, Mr.

Chairman, uh, thank you so much for that recognition.

I actually wrote a whole speech, I'm not gonna read it because while I was sitting here, I just wrote down a few key words that mean something to me.

Um, but I do again want to start out by thanking you uh and your leadership um in this body.

I mean, you have the most thankless job in the city of Cleveland, number one.

So uh I want to recognize you and and all the leadership that you've brought to this body and this community, and uh, like I said, I'm I'm not going anywhere, so I'll look forward to sharing more niece picks with you.

Um Mr.

Chairman, uh, on April 16th, 2016, I stood right where you're sitting.

Uh former councilman Joe Simperman uh had left the body and uh trusted me to take over for him, and I appreciate that every single day of my life that Joe had uh the faith in me to carry on his nearly two decades of legacy in downtown Cleveland in the near west side of the city of Cleveland.

Chair, I sat there uh with my father who's with us here today.

Uh he I had the honor of him swearing me in to Cleveland City Council.

Mr.

Chair, uh my mother was also uh, all right, didn't think I was gonna do this.

Um, you know, I've gone through like a million community meetings getting screamed at.

I've never broken down, and here will be the day.

Here will be the day.

My mother was there with us too, very sick, Mr.

Chairman, and she ended up passing a few months later.

But I was so happy that she was able to be here with us at that time.

Mr.

Chair, for the last nine and a half years, I've had the unbelievable privilege of serving the people of Ward 3 on Cleveland City Council, downtown, the flats, Ohio City, Tremont, Duck Island, and the Stockyards neighborhood in the city of Cleveland.

I characterize them as unique children because they all are.

All of the neighborhoods in Ward 3 are very different, and even within the neighborhoods, they're very different.

Mr.

Chair, as I said, I I wrote this this speech out, two pages of it, but I was sitting right here and I just dot jotted down some words uh that came to me and that hit me this evening.

Joy, tragedy, hope, help, progress, community, challenge, and love, the life of a ward council person, joy, Mr.

Chairman, Abbey Park and Roberto Clemente Park, after new playgrounds going went in, watching children run around and loving their new playground, playing together, splashing in the splash pad, spending long summer days together.

Mr.

Chairman, tragedy.

Sitting across from a mother in her living room, a recent migrant from Congo after her child was struck and killed on the street on West 50th in the stockyard neighborhood.

You will never get over the look that she gives you when her baby is gone.

That tragedy, amongst others, launched the speed table program in the city of Cleveland.

Mr.

Chairman, hope.

Murals around Ward 3 in the city of Cleveland, with the faces of our children, our community leaders, all around them, reminding us every single day of the people that make this city beautiful and incredible.

Mr.

Chairman, hosting children here in your seat from CMSD schools around Ward 3 in the city, running around playing mock city council.

That's hope.

Those children, those babies that we see here in Cleveland, that's hope.

Mr.

Chairman, help.

When I had a senior citizen who barely spoke English from the stockyards neighborhood, called me after months with no heat.

He was too proud to call.

Didn't want to ask for help.

But was sitting in his home without heat, and we were able to get him heat for the winter time and give him peace of mind, Mr.

Chairman.

Progress.

Mr.

Chair, one of my first votes on this council was passing full protections for every resident of Cleveland, including the LGBTQ community.

You renaming the finance community committee diversity, equity, inclusion, and sticking by it, even in the face of federal headwinds.

Mr.

Chairman, community.

Late nights in block clubs and community meetings and people's living rooms across ward three, exhausted.

I had been at City Hall since 7 a.m.

It is now 9 p.m.

I'm losing my voice.

But nothing keeps you in touch better than sitting in a living room with 40 residents talking about everything on their mind and issues and being able to help folks in your community.

Challenge, Mr.

Chairman, balancing it.

How on earth do you balance the interests in a unique ward?

Every single ward has that challenge of people with different opinions, business owners, community groups, issues, challenges without enough resources to meet them.

And Mr.

Chairman, love.

The root of why I'm here today, and every single one of us is here today, is because we love our communities.

When I think back on almost a decade in this role, the first thing that comes to mind is the faces of the people that I serve.

And I ran for election twice, and I've been here for almost a decade because of them, because I love them.

I love the people that I've served and incredible stories that they have across Ward 3.

Mr.

Chair, I want to thank you and every single councilman here today, council person, and those that are not here today.

Chair, it is not easy being a council person.

You deal with the good, the bad, the ugly, you deal with stuff you had no uh, you know, roll in, problems you didn't create, problems that another elected official somewhere else has to deal with, probably.

But guess what?

You're in your community.

Your folks know you.

They reach out to you and you help them.

And I want to thank all of you for your partnership, your support over the years, even when we haven't agreed, even when we've gotten to tussles, you're here serving your community.

That is an incredible noble cause, and I want to thank you for that.

To the mayor, too, and again, I didn't give him a heads up I was gonna be here, so I can't throw shade on him.

I want to thank Mayor Bibb and former Mayor Jackson.

Truly incredible partners in this impossible work of moving in a legacy American city forward.

Really wanna thank him for his bold leadership for when he had two percent name recognition, and he and I had a coffee downtown Cleveland, and he said, I'm gonna I'm doing this thing, I think I might run for mayor.

And I was like, you're either gonna run a good campaign and you could win, or you're not, and no one will remember you.

And that history made itself there, and I'm really, really proud of the work that he's done for this community.

Members of the administration here today, uh, all of you could be somewhere else making more money.

Every single one of you.

But you chose to serve the people of the city of Cleveland in your own capacities and to work your behinds off.

And I know you have to because the chief and the mayor, you wouldn't be here for long if you didn't.

So I really, really want to recognize you and appreciate your public service.

Most days it doesn't go noticed, and most calls you get are negative.

But there are so many people that you help that don't call in, you don't hear from that appreciate your help and your work and your leadership.

I want to recognize a couple other people, Mr.

Chairman, and then I will uh sit down.

Um, I want to uh recognize Lauren Welsh, who's with us here today.

Lauren, can you please stand up?

Lauren is a lifelong Ward 3 resident and has a resume about 10 times mine.

Um, but she is a current downtown resident, incredible, inspiring community leader, and she has made the terrible decision to agree to uh step in, I say that with a joke, to fill the remainder of my term here on Cleveland City Council.

Mr.

Chairman, uh, when I realized that I was gonna have to leave a little bit early, there was no one else that came to mind uh than Lauren.

And so I'm so thankful that she said yes, and I hope with your support, she will be sitting with you for just a few weeks uh until the end of the year.

I want to recognize uh my family with me here today, so we'll just go from here.

Tim McCormick, uh, my father, who uh, Mr.

Chairman.

Um, I'm thankfully more like my mother, but um no one, and this has been recognized as recent as a couple days ago in the paper, has the moral compass of my father.

And I want to recognize him not only in his public service, but for passing that along to his boys.

Mr.

Chair Christina sits next to him, my father's uh partner in life.

Uh, when we lost mom, that was uh unbelievably tough.

Uh, but I can't think of a better person to be a part of our family and to be a partner to my father, a grandmother to BB and a family member.

Um, Christina, just want to again welcome, thank you so much for being here tonight and for making my daddy happy and keeping him accountable in his retirement, too.

Um, going down, I'm gonna start over here, Tyana McCormack over here, and Brianna McCormick, little BB.

There's little BB.

Um talking about accountable, Mr.

Chairman.

Um, thank God someone came into my brother's life that was better looking smarter and kept him accountable, uh, his wife, uh, and they uh produced that beautiful little girl who's my god baby with us here today.

Um I know BB, this has been a long meeting, so I can tell that you're tired.

My brother Brendan McCormick, they're both Ward 8 residents here too, is with us here.

Uh my older brother um used to beat me up when we were little, uh, but we got over that.

Uh, and then I also want to uh recognize my brother Colin and Dylan who are not here with us today.

Um, and finally, uh my partner Daniel, who's with us here.

Daniel, if you can stand up, please.

Um Daniel brings me joy and happiness every single day of my life, and there's nothing more that I could ask for.

And Mr.

Chairman, I'll just uh wrap this up by once again thanking the people of Ward 3 uh who had the confidence in me, uh, but also held me accountable on all nine and a half years of being on Cleveland City Council.

I do this because of the people of Ward 3, and I love them.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

The chair acknowledges Councilwoman Jasmine Santana.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

I was gonna uh speak on spare the moment, but um I don't have my 24-hour eyeliner on.

So I want to read my remarks to you.

Um, first of all, uh I have never had the privilege of meeting Mr.

McCormick.

Um, nice meeting you today.

You have raised such a fine young man, and now I understand um who you came out like so much like your dad.

But so I want to take this moment to say goodbye to my colleague and friend.

I still remember the first time we met.

We were sitting by each other at the committee meeting when I first was elected.

I was trying to take it all in, wanting to represent my ward the best that I could.

You must have sensed my nervous nervousness because we started talking, and I shared some of my insecurities and concerns.

You immediately offered word of advice and made me feel empowered and courageous.

That in many ways sums up who you are, Mr.

McCormick.

You have a remarkable gift for motivating, supporting, and inspiring people.

You always highlight the good qualities in others, listen genuinely, and show loyalty and intelligence in every interaction.

Most importantly, you are a true friend.

Who will I speak to in Spanish during our side conversations or bounce ideas off of, or hang with in National League of Cities?

I'm gonna uh I'm going to feel a little lost without you, my friend.

You will be deeply missed here, but I am so excited for this next chapter in your life.

Flax Safety knows talent.

They've just recruited one of the finest leaders our city has to offer.

Thank you for all that you have done in Cleveland City Council, for your neighborhood, and for our city and for our leadership team.

Best wishes.

Outstanding.

I had Councilman Richard Starr next, and then Councilman Michael Pelisi.

Um, thank you, uh Council President.

I can't let Councilmember um McCormick go without acknowledging just the support he has.

Um I remember in 2017, I decided to run for office, and we had a conversation.

He was like, Man, you tripping.

But on top of that, he always kept it real.

And most of the times in his political world, you have people who say one thing and then do the other.

But every time I talk to Carrie, Councilman McCormick, he just keep it 100.

And what I mean by that is I never ever had to question were you on the left, are you on the right, or in between?

That not being in between and being fair with me each and every time I had a concern, a question, a comment, a thought, you always kept it real.

I'm going to always miss you for that.

And on point being, Carrie was one of the first ones to want to donate to my campaign.

And what I mean by that is people talk about it, but then they start putting resources behind you because they believe in you.

That shows you the type of person you are.

And I'm going to always miss you, and I'm going to always call you and always always thank you for just supporting me.

I'm not always right.

And Kerry is one of the ones who tell me you was wrong.

And what I mean by that is he also give me a different perspective to understand why not to make the same mistake twice.

So the work that you've done for almost a decade on Cleveland City Council, being a young member in your 20s, getting elected was inspiration, not only to the people in the city of Cleveland, but to me as well, who's um a few months younger than you.

But also just want to say your leadership is going to be very much missed because you know where to go to get answers and questions, figuring out how to deal with different things in the neighborhoods, how to deal with the issues downtown, how to deal with the issues in our communities, but also understanding it's not about a race thing, is about helping the people.

So you're not going far.

You already told me that.

You said you're still a call away.

I'm still gonna ring you, and I just want to say thank you, and I'm going to miss you.

Um, my colleague, brother, councilman Kerry McCormick.

Next we have Councilman Michael Palence.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman, my honorable colleagues and to Kerry and to your family, and I want to say this again uh too um to Tim, Christina, the Brandon is what well we wife, the kids, the Daniel.

Um Kerry is a native son of Collinwood, and we are so proud of him.

But when you look at um the roots, his mom and dad um caring, concerned, unwavering, and especially with his dad um in public office, never gave up and never gave away his principles in public office.

Never gave away his principles, and I saw that in Kerry from the day he took office here.

I could see that Tim McCormick line, bloodline, of compassion, of care, of concern.

Mr.

Chairman, um, I have served with so many people I can't remember them all.

Long time, but I remember those individuals who have always uh had an impact on his body um and on our community.

Kerry is one of those individuals.

He cared about the downtown.

And I was wondering when he got elected, because here's a guy who's used to eating soul food, kibbasi and rigatoni on the northeast side, and now he's going downtown, he's gonna be eating quiche downtown, okay?

And so I was wondering how that was gonna work out.

It worked out for you.

But at the end of the day, he came into the body, became majority leader, um, and he touched on it.

We all might not agree at times, but the next day we can be agreeable.

That's the way he approached the job.

Um, and he approached it within the body.

It was tough, and we've all talked about it.

This is a difficult job today.

Uh, this is not for the faint of heart.

Um, it's a very difficult job.

Many challenges that we have, and he filled every one of those challenges for the best interest of his community.

So I hate to see you go, but I wish you well as you go on to bigger and better things.

You've represented your community as best as you can, best as you could.

I hope the people in Ward 3 realize, and I want to say this to my dear friend Joe Zimperman.

He made a wonderful, he made a wonderful appointment.

A wonderful appointment when he picked you for his replacement.

Because there was never a skip, there was never a beat loss from the two communities.

So again, I wish you well.

Um, I hope for you the best.

You continue to follow.

I want you to continue to follow in your old man's footsteps of dedication and service and unwavering commitment to the people of Cleveland and beyond.

God bless you, my friend.

Best wishes to you.

Thank you.

Councilman Brian Casey.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Unlike uh Councilman Palency, uh, I can remember who I've served with.

Simperman Kane, Cleveland, Bracotelli, Gardner, Pruitt, Zone Brady, Kelly, Jeff Johnson, Ken Johnson, Reed Dow, Basir Jones, Mitchell, Cummins Gray, and now I have to add McCormick to that list.

Somebody told me very early on in politics, Mr.

President, that in politics, you have no friends.

That Jesus is your only friend in politics.

And I used to really live by that until I got to know Carrie McCormick.

And then I got to know Carrie McCormick outside of City Hall.

And if people in this room knew of some of the conversations that you and I and a couple of other colleagues have had, um that would blow the roof right off this place.

But the one thing that you've always been is honest.

And one thing that I've always been able to do with you is ask you questions that I could probably ask nobody else without offending them.

You've been an educator, you've been a friend, and you've been one hell of a council person.

Daniel, thank you very much for sharing uh Carrie with us uh in regards to not only City Hall, but when we are out doing other things, uh non-council related.

Uh, I wish you all the luck in the world.

Uh and even though I still kind of live by the belief that you have no friends in politics, now that you're out of politics, I'll consider you a friend.

Thank you very much, Carrie, for all your time and service.

Thank you.

Councilman Kevin Conwell.

Yeah, you know.

You have a great son here.

County Commissioner, Judge De O'Neills.

You always came prepared, and I like that because I sit back and I watch everything and ask questions.

But is I pick with you as well as Carrie by being so young.

And I said, Man, what you know about that?

What you know about that?

And you just look at me, but you always was prepared, and I would go home and talk about you because we do talk.

And then you know the wife and I.

And I said, That young man is extremely bright.

We're gonna miss you.

I'm gonna miss you a lot.

But I still have your phone numbers.

I could call you and pick with you by being so young, and I would do that.

But not two in the morning, but I'll call you.

Okay, thank you very much.

Yeah, you'll say those two o'clock in the morning calls for me now, huh?

Because he will call you at two in the morning.

Don't let him think he's joking either.

Uh, I don't see any other miscellaneous uh councilman McCormick.

I'm sorry, very quickly, and this is what you get for going off your notes.

One group I forgot to thank Mr.

Chairman is our staff.

Uh, we have an incredible team here at Cleveland City Council that we work with every single day.

And I just I um again in my notes, but I veered off my notes.

That's what you get.

So I just wanted to thank our staff.

Thank you so much.

I do not see any other uh any other comments, therefore, uh Madam Clerk, please excuse the absences.

By councilmember McCormack, that the absence of councilmember Spencer is here by excuse, seconded by councilmember Gray.

The next meeting of council is on Monday, September the 29th, 2025, and you can do